Lobbying in Peoria County, Illinois
Contents |
Taxpayer-funded lobbying is the use of public funds by governments to influence other levels of government. Counties, for example, will pay lobbyists to influence the state or the federal government. This type of lobbying is often not disclosed to constituents. Counties hire lobbyists on a contractual basis, have lobbyists on staff, or join groups which promote or oppose legislation on their behalf. Lobbyists also help counties seeking specific projects or appropriations.
[edit] Lobbying in Illinois
| Lobbyist | Year | Amount |
| Anderson Consulting | 2009 | $38,000 |
| Anderson Consulting | 2008 | $17,000 |
| Anderson Consulting | 2007 | $14,000 |
| Anderson Consulting | 2006 | $14,000 |
| Anderson Consulting | 2005 | $25,000 |
| Anderson Consulting | 2004 | $11,000 |
| Anderson Consulting | 1999 | $9,000 |
Peoria County has lobbying representation from Anderson Legislative Consulting.[1] Anderson Consulting represents the county before the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield since at least 1999.[2] The firm:[2]
- provides communication to the county through legislative reports and alerts
- coordinates meetings with county officials and legislators and the governor's office
- drafts legislation on behalf of the county and represents the county's interests before the legislature.
[edit] Federal lobbying
| Lobbyist | Year | Amount |
| Ferguson Group | 2010 | $42,500 |
| Ferguson Group | 2009 | $96,068.07 |
Peoria County has had lobbying representation from the Ferguson Group since 2009. Contracts are for half a year. If the county retains its current contract with the group, it will have spent around $96,000 on a contract with the lobbyist by the end of 2010. The Ferguson Group represents Peoria County before the federal government.[2] The firm collaborates with the county on:[2]
- devising a legislative plan and strategy
- reviewing the county's objectives
- representing the county's objectives before the Congress.
The firm keeps the county updated on legislation relating to it and organizes meetings with federal government officials. This agreement also includes the city of Peoria.
The county did not disclose its membership in taxpayer-funded lobbying associations to Sunshine Review in a Freedom of Information Act request.
[edit] Taxpayer-funded lobbying associations
- Main article: Illinois taxpayer-funded lobbying associations
Peoria County belongs to at least 23 taxpayer-funded lobbying associations.
[edit] Issues
The Ferguson Group represented the county before the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the following agencies to ask for appropriation funds: [3] [4]
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Rural Development
- Food and Drug Administration
- Departments of Commerce and Justice, and Science
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies
- Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Appropriations for energy and water development
The county focused specifically on the following legislation:
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization
- Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)
- The Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2009 and Senate Version
[edit] References
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
